The Chosen One
by Glittercorn
Summary: Meet Rosette Potter, the Chosen One. When she reaches Hogwarts, she sets a goal - to make the sourest boy on the planet (in her opinion) smile. But with some wrong steps and involuntary feelings, she finds herself falling for the Death Eater - with a war on her hands.
1. Chapter 1: Coming to Hogwarts

Rosette slid down the banister, nearly crashing into the front door. The cover slid off a portrait, who screamed at her, "FILTH! RUBBISH! UNWORTHY TO-"

"Oh, shut up," Rosette laughed, tossing the cover at the picture of her godfather's portrait. She was a naturally good-spirited girl, but today, nothing could put a damper on her good mood.

She bounded into Sirius's room, singing, "I'M WIDE AWAKE, I'M WIDE AWAKE!" at the top of her lungs.

Sirius threw a pillow at her.

Rosette jumped onto the bed, jumping as hard as she could. "Wake up! Wake up! We have to go to Hogwarts in three hours!"

Sirius mumbled something along the lines of, "I was late when I first went," and then, "and I can't go anyway, go ask Moony." He lifted his head when Rosette didn't move. "Do I have to go as a dog?" he asked blearily. "Really? This early in the morning?"

Rosette pulled the covers off of him and pushed him towards the end of the bed. "Come _on_!"

Sirius groaned, tumbled off the bed, and shapeshifted into a dog. He glared at her as if to say, "Happy now?"

Rosette laughed. "Come on Padfoot, let's go get Moony!" She bounced away, mentally picking through the dresses she could wear. "Would the green dress go with my eyes?" she pondered, twirling one of her curls with her finger.

Sirius morphed into a human. "You look just like your mother," he laughed. "And act like her too. Let's hope you don't fall in love with a Slytherin."

Rosette stopped. "What if I _am_ a Slytherin?" she said uncertainly. "I mean, it's not a bad thing, but I want to be in Gryffindor, like you and Moony."

Sirius stopped and looked at her in disbelief. "Not a bad thing?"

"I mean, they're just normal witches and wizards," Rosette countered, pushing hair off her forehead revealing a small lightning-shaped scar. It was white, faded, but there. "They just have ambition, right? And cunning? That makes them good leaders."

Sirius shook his head. "How do you see the bright side in everything?" he asked, sounding like a teenager again.

"Because she's an optimist," Lupin chuckled, emerging from the kitchen. He was dressed. "Since you're going to be in animagus shape, you don't really need to get ready, do you, Sirius?"

Sirius shrugged. "Packed, Rosie?"

Rosette nodded. "I spent most of the last night checking what I've packed and added little things I forgot. I checked my supplies list eleven times!"

"And you counted," Sirius marveled.

Lupin grinned. "I remember doing the same thing, though. Ready?"

"Let me get my stuff!" Rosette yelled, heading upstairs.

"We're here!" Rosette squealed, jumping out of the car and running into King's Cross Station. All the Muggles looked at her like she was crazy, but she was too excited to care.

Lupin laughed behind her, pulling her stuff. Rosette's owl, a pretty black thing named Ashfire, hooted happily.

Sirius the dog trotted alongside her as she approached the center of Platforms 9 and 10. She grabbed her cart and waited for Sirius (as a dog) to pass through the barrier first.

Rosette ran through the barrier, her red curls flying wildly. She giggled as she got to the other side, reaching through the bars to touch Ashfire's beak. "Hey, girl," she cooed at the owl.

Lupin came through last, and he looked mildly dizzy.

Sirius, meanwhile, was sniffing all the people in a five-foot radius. It seemed his dog instincts had taken over, and Lupin and trying to drag him back, while Rosette was just laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world.

Her green eyes glittered with excitement as she grasped the trolley again. "Good-bye Moony, good-bye Padfoot! I'll write to you three times a day!" And with that, she ran on board the train.

Lupin and Sirius stared after her, both laughing, mainly because they knew she was joking.

Rosette boarded the train after putting her luggage in the luggage compartment. Ashfire was _not_ happy about that, but Rosette didn't care.

Rosette bounced down the train, and nearly bounced into a blond-haired boy.

"Hey, watch it!" he snarled, crossing his arms. On either side of him stood another boy.

Rosette just smiled at him. Again, no one could ruin her good mood. She was going to Hogwarts! "Don't be in the way!" she bounced down the aisle again.

She saw a compartment with one girl in there. She had bushy brown hair and seemed kind of lonely. Rosette pushed open the compartment door open with a bang, and the girl jumped, dropping the book she was holding.

"Hi, what's your name? I'm Rosette, but you can call me Rose. What House do you think you'll be in? I hope it's Gryffindor-"

Rosette stopped. "What's your name?"

The girl was looking at her oddly, leaning down to pick up the book she had dropped. "I'm Hermione Granger."

"I'm Rosette Potter. Call me Rose," Rosette said cheerfully. "Why aren't you smiling and grinning and bouncing off the walls like you just ate a box of Chocolate Frogs?"

"Why are _you_?" Hermione pointed out, opening her book. Rosette noted Hermione was already in her Hogwarts robes.

"Because we're going to Hogwarts! What house do you think you'll be in? I've been told I'm very Hufflepuff-y, but I'm also reckless, according to Moony, so I think I'll be in Gryffindor."

Hermione followed this with a weird look on her face, then grinned. "I'm obviously a Ravenclaw, but I'm not really sure, you know? You don't know until the hat's on your head."

"I wish it was a fancy, magical, glittery top hat that was bright pink and blue, you know? But from what I've heard, it's a raggedy old brown hat."

"Really?" Hermione said interestedly. "Potter... I think I've read that last name before." Her eyes widened with a gasp. "Didn't your parents get killed by You-Know-Who?" She covered her mouth, then gave a rueful laugh. "Sorry, I just happen to blurt out random information at times."

"It's okay," Rosette said, her smile only dipping slightly. "It was a long time ago." Her smile returned in full force. "But I'm hoping to make tons of friends so I don't have to worry anymore! And I've got Padfoot and Moony, and they're not too bad."

"Padfoot and Moony?" Hermione said, confused. "Nicknames, or...?"

"Oh my gosh, imagine being named Moony," Rosette laughed. "No, he's Remus Lupin and Padfoot is I can't tell you." She kept beaming.

The compartment door slid open again. It was a red-haired boy. "Er, could I sit here? Everywhere else is full."

"Yup!" Rosette nodded.

"I'm Ron Weasley," he added, sitting down across from Rosette, next to Hermione. "Hi."

"I'm Rosette Potter. Ooh, you have a rat! What's his name? He's very fat, isn't he? Do you feed him a lot, or does he scavenge."

"You're... Potter... Do you have a scar?" Ron asked uncertainly. "The rat's name is Scabbers."

Rosette laughed, and tucked her hair behind her ears, revealing the scar. "Satisfied? Do you know any of the teachers there?"

Hermione interjected. "Albus Dumbledore is the headmaster, right? He's very famous."

"And Snape," Ron said with disgust. "My brothers - Fred and George - say he's the worst. He's a Slytherin, and the head of the Slytherin house, so he's very biased towards the Gryffindors."

Hermione argued, "he can't be that bad..."

As they argued, Rosette beamed at them, her matchmaking mind going into overdrive. They were perfect together, she could already see it. But she wasn't going to push it... at least not for several years.

She looked at the window and waited for it to show the Hogwarts grounds.

Rosette pulled her luggage and owl out of the train. She heard a distant bellow of: "Firs' years! Firs' years over 'ere! Firs' years!"

She naturally went over there.

A bunch of boats was at the bank of the lake. Rosette got in one and waved madly at Hermione and Ron. "Come on!" she mouthed.

Hermione, rolling her eyes at the red-haired girl's antics, boarded the boat with grace. Moments later, Ron tripped into the boat.

Rosette paddled madly, tucking her hair behind her ear when needed. "We need to get there first!"

Hermione rolled her eyes - again - but paddled as fast as she could without splashing herself. "No, we don't."

"If we want to make a good impression, we do," Ron said, pushing the paddle hard.

Pretty soon they were the second to the bank. Rosette noted with dismay that the blond-haired boy who was rude to her earlier had beaten them.

"Congratulations," she told them.

"Excuse me?" the blond boy said with a lazy look on his face.

"You got to the bank first," Rosette persisted, ignoring Ron's groan behind her. "I thought I would say that you did a good job."

"Well quit thinking, I don't bloody _care_ ," the boy drawled.

Rosette didn't want to scowl today - that was her goal. But the boy was making it rather difficult. "What's your name?"

"Draco Malfoy," he said. He didn't seem to want to talk more, so Rosette turned towards Hermione and Ron.

"Well, he's a party pooper," Rosette said, crossing her arms.

"A what?" Ron asked, looking confused.

"A party pooper," Rosette said slowly. "It basically means someone who tries to make your good mood go down the drain. Our house was enchanted to blend in with a muggle neighborhood, so I know a few muggle terms. I'm guessing you do, too, Hermione?"

She nodded. "My parents are both muggles - dentists."

A woman emerged from the hall, adjusting her spectacles. "Come in, first years," she said. "You will be Sorted shortly."

After everyone had gone in, Rosette looked around. She noted the ghosts going through the walls without much thought. "Hi!" she said, waving at one.

He turned around. "And you are?"

"Rosette Marian Potter at your service," Rosette said formally, bowing. "You must be Nearly Headless Nick."

He nodded, and his head came off - or, rather, _nearly_ came off. He got some applause for that, and when he pushed his head back up, he looked rather pleased with himself.

Rosette noted Draco's sour expression. She decided her job this year was to make him smile. In happiness, not at one of his cruel jokes. Everyone sad or angry needed a hug and a friend. And a cup of hot cocoa.

Everyone.


	2. Chapter 2: The Sorting

Rosette entered the hall and gasped. Loudly, and many people laughed, but she was astounded.

No amount of descriptions from Padfoot and Moony could have prepared her for what she was seeing right now.

The ceiling showed a deep blue with a few stars, looking like an actual sky. Floating candles scattered the room. Hundreds of people were seated at the tables.

Well, maybe not hundreds, but close enough. Definitely over fifty. She wasn't good with numbers.

The first years formed a line, and Rosette managed to be sixth. Pretty good. She twisted to look over her shoulder, causing her hair to go everywhere. Two people behind her were Ron, six people behind that was Draco, and maybe three people behind that Hermione stood.

As the professor - who had introduced herself as Professor McGonagall - read off a list, Rosette held her breath, waiting for her turn.

After four people had gone, Rosette was bouncing on her tip-toes impatiently waiting for the hat to Sort the current person.

"Rosette Potter!" Professor McGonagall read from the list.

Rosette walked forward, trying not to run or bounce like normal. She took a seat and lifted the hat. It was bigger than she thought. When she put it on, she could barely see.

 _Hmm,_ the hat said. _Interesting. Warm and friendly, I see, a good Hufflepuff quality, yet you're reckless and prideful... a plain lack of ambition, though determination makes up for that..._ GRYFFINDOR!

Rosette jumped off the stool, placed the hat on the stool, and ran over to the Gryffindor table. She cheered along with everyone else when Ron became a Gryffindor. Draco was a Slytherin... no surprise there, she supposed... and Hermione was a Gryffindor, too!

When Hermione took a seat across from her, Rosette laughed. "Thought you were going to Ravenclaw for sure!"

Hermione shrugged and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "The hat said I was smart and creative, but lacked a real drive and my friends went before schoolwork. I think it was right on both accounts."

"Yeah, I was either Hufflepuff or Gryffindor," Rosette admitted. "You, Ron?"

Ron laughed. "It said I better go along with all my brothers. Very creative, the hat."

"It really is," Hermione said seriously, ignoring Ron's joke. "Imagine reading a person's personality, and deciding something that decides your future. Not something to be handled lightly."

Suddenly, Dumbledore stood up, and the talk immediately died down. He said something Rosette didn't catch and sat back down.

"So, Rose," Hermione said after swallowing a bite of whatever was on her plate. "What do you do for fun?"

"Laugh," Rosette said honestly. "I love telling jokes and writing short stories with lots of humor. I'm not very good with grammar, but I'm told the actual content is pretty good. I love reading action novels. Um... and riding my broom is always fun, but I'm only allowed to do that on the weekends."

"Really? You're a writer?" Hermione said in surprise.

"Nah, not really," Rosette shrugged. "My interests lie elsewhere. I always liked the idea of being a guidance counselor or such."

"You would be," Ron snorted into his plate of chicken, mashed potatoes, and gravy.

Hermione shot him a death glare. "What do _you_ find interesting, Ron?"

"Um..." suddenly Ron was very interested in his glass. "Um, I want to work in the Ministry of Magic. Like my dad."

"In what section?" Rosette asked curiously, taking a forkful of food.

"My... my dad works for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts," Ron muttered, still looking at the goblet. "But I want to be an Auror."

"Cool!" Rosette said, drinking from her own cup. "What about you, Hermione?"

"A teacher," she said, matter-of-factly. "At Hogwarts. Teaching magic would be a blessing, honestly, and I feel that any responsibility coming with the job, I wouldn't mind, because-"

Ron coughed. "Sorry to interrupt your speech, Hermione, but I think we're going."

Rosette jumped to her feet and ran forward, and was blocked by an arm. She looked up into the twinkling eyes of a boy. "Tsk, tsk. Please stay behind me, I'm the prefect here."

Rosette blushed and nodded, falling next to Ron and Hermione, who were laughing at her eagerness.

Once the group reached a portrait of a fat lady, Rosette was certain she would never learn her way around the school. It didn't help that the staircases moved, either.

"Leo," the boy prefect said, and the lady nodded and the portrait swung open, revealing a doorway.

Climbing through the portrait-hole, Rosette found herself in a common room. At the end of the room, two staircases rose in opposite directions.

The prefect pointed at the staircase to the right. "That's the boy's dorm-" now he pointed to the left, "-and this one is the girl's. Boys can not visit girls."

"But they can visit us?" Ron complained.

The boy turned, a mischievous look creeping onto his face. "Try climbing up the staircase leading to the girl's dorm."

Ron nervously approached the staircase. After about six steps, the stairs flattened into a slide and he slipped and slid back down.

Everyone was laughing, and he jumped up to his feet, his ears a lovely shade of red.

"I'm Mason," the boy said after everyone stopped laughing. "I'm a fifth year. If you can't find me, Sabrina-" a blond-haired girl waved, "-is another prefect. Questions?"

You could hear a pin drop in the silence that followed.

"Okay, then everyone to bed!" Sabrina called in a light voice, hazel eyes glittering in the firelight that illuminated the room.

Rosette grabbed Hermione's arm and bounced up the stairs. "Why can we get to the boy's dorm, then?" Rosette wondered as they entered a room.

Hermione sat down on an unoccupied bed. "Back when Hogwarts was created, boys were considered to be less trustworthy than girls. They weren't allowed in each other's dorms, and there was the charm on the girl's stairs. The rules are a little more relaxed now, but the charm remains."

Rosette stared at her. "How on Earth did you know that?"

Hermione blushed. "I did some reading before I came to Hogwarts. It's in _Hogwarts: a History_."

Rosette threw herself onto the bed next to Hermione's. "This is going to be a great year!" she declared. And as she drifted off to sleep, she really hoped it was.


End file.
